I've been wanting to build a covered space for the chickens to hang out in for awhile. The problem is, I am an impatient builder. I like to cut corners and do things "quickly" rather than "properly". Got a job that should take several people several days to complete? Great, I can do it by myself this afternoon! No problem! I see this as a shortcoming and a positive trait. Often I can get something done "good enough", though it may look a little, shall we say, unsightly.
 |
| Wonky, wavy, welded wire |
I want to improve my building skills. What good skills to have, right? But in the meantime, that doesn't stop me from doing a half ass job in the mean time. So, this afternoon I built this jankety chicken run, sliding around in mud and chicken poop and having a grand old time. This is not a run for your pinterest board folks. This is a chicken run badly in need of support arches before the first snow load hits. Granted, I drove out to Tractor Supply and tried to buy cattle panel for the arch supports, but they were about 1/4" shy of fitting in my truck bed because of the liner. "I know!" I thought, "I'll just use the leftover welded wire fencing roll we have for the arches and prop it up with all manner of supports including branches, a ladder, and hoops of aluminum conduit. That'll work great!"
 |
| Don't have proper supports,? Just use a ladder! |
 |
| "Bawk! This run rules!" |
 |
| Mud and Chicken Poop Slip 'n Slide |
Tonight it gets cold and the ground should freeze solid and stay that way until Thursday, when it should be warm enough for a 2 person overhaul of the supports, hopefully adding some arched supports that will give the run an aesthetically pleasing appearance of a tube, instead of a lumpy plastic monster type shape.
Despite its many shortcomings, the chickens seem to love it.
 |
| At least I did this right. To attach plastic sheeting to a board, use 1" x 2"s and screws |
 |
| "Hmmm, how does this work?" |
 |
| Attached sheeting |
 |
| Lumpy Run |
No comments:
Post a Comment